


Rachel of Maddow [prt 1]

by audeamus



Category: Pundit RPF, Pundit RPF (US)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-15
Updated: 2010-07-30
Packaged: 2017-10-14 07:48:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/147016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/audeamus/pseuds/audeamus





	1. Chapter 1

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:**|   
creative  
---|---  
 **Entry tags:**|   
[au](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/au), [fic](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/fic), [gen](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/gen), [keith](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/keith), [rachel](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/rachel), [rating:pg](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/rating:pg), [richard w](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/richard+w), [series:princess](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/series:princess)  
  
Rachel of Maddow [prt 1]  
 **Word Count** : 3568  
 **Rating** : PG  
 **Pairing/Characters** : Keith, Rachel, Richard Wolffe and more to come  
 **Author Notes** : I blame [](http://jesidres.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**jesidres**](http://jesidres.dreamwidth.org/) for everything in this. why else would I force Rachel to wear a dress occasionally & with a crown?  
 **Summary** : She doesn't want what they want for her, so she leaves. Meets some interesting company and a mystery.

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. 

Rachel scowled in an unladylike fashion at the new calluses forming in her right heel (the one she put more pressure on ever since she twisted her left foot a few miles back). Her horse snorted and she patted him on the nose,

"I know, boy. We've been traveling all night.. but we're bound to find a town soon." He snorted again, bumping against her shoulder and snuffling her trouser pocket. "I'm hungry too.. we'll stop as soon as we reach that treeline and find a stream." The horse followed her finger at the far woods down the road.

She mounted her steed for the last couple miles, grateful to feel the morning breeze ruffle her short hair. The sun was just beginning to peek over the treetops and rose quickly in a clear sky, promising a bright hot day. Rachel was grateful for the shade of the wood and listened for the sound of water as her horse walked the forest path. She watched as fairies and tiny creatures darted between leaves and across the path at all levels, rolling her eyes as they pointed and laughed at her. Silly things, not an ounce of sense.

Ignoring their attempts to pull her hair for their bird-like nests, Rachel dismounted and made her way through the bushes toward the sounds of running water. Her horse followed at an eager quick step, thirsty as she was, and they both drank their fill after Rachel tested the stream for poisons or metals. She was just filling her canteen and pondering what would make a good breakfast when she heard a soft whine and cry from close.

She sprang up and followed the direction from where it had come, and upon clearing aside brush, found a young man with his leg in a fox trap or a trap for something of a similar size. But that was not the oddest thing. She _thought_ at first it was a man, but at the blink of an eye and a faint popping noise, she perceived a wolfish dog. Then a man again. She shook her head and stepped forward as the man-dog pawed at the trap's jaw in pain-filled panic and distress.

"Please.. calm down.. I want to help you." She called in a soft, and what she hoped soothing tone.

He turned to her with watery eyes, "Help me then.. please.. " She saw he made an effort to calm down, sinking onto his rear with tears running down his snout-like nose. His voice, she noted, even had a whine or bark to it. She took a few tools out of her bag and set to work taking apart the device, unscrewing this and removing that bolt. Within three minutes, the jaws of the contraption were pried open and Rachel gingerly set to work cleaning, bandaging, and placing the man-dog's foot in a splint. He wrapped his arms around her in a sudden and grateful embrace, then remembered himself, backing away.

She giggled at his nervous mannerisms as he bowed and said in a shaky (from the lingering pain and trauma), "I am thankful to you, my good er-lady. I am in your debt."

"No.. no. I do not expect you to be in my debt. Why wouldn't I help someone in need of assistance?" But he insisted on doing something, anything to repay her deed so Rachel sat back and thought for a moment, then sprang up again.

"Why don't you help me find a place to stay? My horse needs a place to rest for the remainder of our journey, and I could use a means of replenishing my supplies." He nodded and hesitantly offered his hand,

"I'm R-richard. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She smiled and shook his hand firmly, "And my name's Rachel. Rachel of Maddow."

He smiled too, and it changed to a tongue-lolling grin as the man became a dog with a soft pop! She finally asked once they had made it back to the clearing where her horse had waited. "Are you a.. shape changer?"

"Of sorts. Sometimes I'm forced to change, sometimes I can choose. Being a dog makes it easier to track and find my Maste-" Richard shut his jaw and trotted ahead, and Rachel sensed that he had said too much. But she was too curious to let it drop, so she led her horse at a clip to catch up.

"You have a Master? What is his name? Are you running away?"

He gave her a pained look but sighed, "Yes.. and I won't tell you his name quite yet. Also I would never run away.. he's much too kind to me. Not everyone would take someone like me, imagine if I dropped a set of glass dishes by popping to all-fours? Or if I dropped a hot jar of stew on someone?"

Rachel nodded and patted his shoulder gently and couldn't help but giggle as he popped back to all fours at her touch. "But I'd think it just an accident if you were in my employ.. I mean.. I doubt my family would hire you." She looked apologetic, "My parents are probably the kind not to tolerate such a thing."

At his curious tilt of the head she explained, "I'm not calling them intolerant of cursed individuals, but.. with a region to run, they have to make sure everything runs smoothly. See, my mother and father are the King and Queen of Maddow province. No, please don't bow!" She blushed as the dog stopped and lowered his front end in a bow slash genuflect. "I don't like my title.. that's one of the reasons I'm here."

He nodded in understanding, even nuzzling her leg in a comforting gesture. She smiled and stroked his head, continuing, "I'm not like my family, as you could probably tell from my clothes. I have sisters who are proper ladies in the sense of the word, flirt with the gentleman, fan themselves, stay indoors and embroider cushions.... that sort of thing. As the oddball of the family, my parents thought it would be best if I left home to marry a nobleman. Leave the ruling to my older sisters. But.. I couldn't stand the man. He was.... a man of perverse nature, always staring down my front and making lewd jokes about women in company." Richard let out a snort of disgust, and popped onto two legs.

"That's so vile! How could you stand to marry such a man?"

"Well.. I didn't. Today was supposed to be my wedding day. But I was able to escape last night when everyone but the night servants were asleep. Slipping past the guard was the most difficult part, scaling the outer walls and the side of the castle.. not so much." Rachel grinned at his expression of awe and showed him her pack which held rope a sort of hooked contraption. "I used these to climb down, up and over the stone.... worked up quite a sweat."

Richard smiled, "You are quite the talented lady. I'm sure the Master will be proud too... he admires ladies and gentlemen of such skill, though he's a bookish man."

They had reached the edge of the wood to find a much larger cleared space. Rachel looked up from the path and was overwhelmed by the size of the structure before her. It wasn't as large a castle as maybe the richest rulers could have built for themselves, but it towered over the party, spiraling and rising to the sky. The main gate was open though, and at Rachel inquiry, Richard explained,

"We don't have many visitors.. the Master's temperament keeps most at bay." She saw his shoulders droop a bit and Rachel nudged him lightly with hers.

"What, does he explode if you don't genuflect the proper way?" Her grin was infectious, and Richard caught himself smiling.

"Not exactly, but.... " They walked through the gate and approached what looked like the stables. "If he disagrees with someone, he will tell them so, loudly and with passion, listing the reasons they are wrong. This upsets people, and word spreads through towns that he is hot-headed, arrogant, thinks too highly of himself, take your pick."

"Is he always right? I will doubt your answer, just to warn you."

"No. But when he's wrong, he acts completely different. He will more likely listen than speak, and learn why he is wrong and the other person is right. He learned this lesson from old and dear friends of his, who chided him long ago for always thinking he was right. Gentlemen and a few ladies. His parents, god rest their souls, did their best but had to have help."

"You say he is a Master but, what is his profession? Rich son? Some sort of nobleman? He must have some source of wealth to keep this kind of castle."

Richard shook his head and sighed sadly, "He was a great Knight. But he was removed from service after some incidents... please don't ask me about them now, the memory still pains me." He helped her guide her horse into a stall, brush and remove stones from his hooves (in between popping to and from two legs). Rachel's horse whinnied in thanks as Richard filled a trough with hay and offered an apple from his pocket.

"You are a kind soul, sir." Rachel smiled wide, so much that the servant blushed and hustled toward a door in the castle's wall. He helped her with her cloak and boots, showing her to the kitchens where he set about making a suitable lunch. She watched him, perched on a stool and swinging her legs as they dangled above the floor.

They both whipped around though at the sound of another door to the kitchen slamming open, Richard mid-chop and Rachel reaching for a piece of fruit from a bowl. Rachel raised an eyebrow at the disheveled appearance of the man standing in the doorway. She looked him up and down again as he walked in, seeming to be oblivious to her presence, so groggy and unfocused his gaze. He looked to be about middle-age, slightly older than she judging by the gray in his temple and around the ears. His shoulders were broad and his figure suggested strength that had just begun to deteriorate.

The man also had a slight roundness in his middle, which elicited a soft smile from her though she couldn't explain it. Richard seemed to be overcome with a case of nerves and didn't say a word, as he poured out a cup of tea for the newcomer. Rachel tried to catch his eye but the man was shakily putting dishes away and was incapable of speech. She turned around in her seat when the man spoke,

"Excuse me, but who the hell are you?" His voice was gruff and deep with traces of drowsiness, and he watched her carefully.

But she smiled, stuck out her hand, and introduced herself cheerfully. This confused the man for a split second, then he grasped her hand firmly, almost wrapping around hers completely. Richard calmed down visibly (his shoulders had tensed just a bit, instinct she supposed), finishing the dishes with more ease.

"I'm Keith of the Olbermann order of Knights. Or.. I was for a long time. But that's a long story for another time when you are ready for a winding tale." He raised one thick eyebrow at her attire, seeming to just notice it. "I think you have a long story of your own, my lady. Might I know some of it?"

"Before I tell you, I'd like to ask you for your permission to stay the night. I have a long journey ahead and my horse requires rest in your stables."

Keith paused before adopting a dark, thoughtful expression. "I.. suppose you can. But you cannot stay long after that. Now, please tell me why you came out this way."

Rachel sighed in relief and told him what she had told Richard, adding some details about how far she had come, what sort of sisters she had that thought her such an oddball, et cetera. Keith indeed did look impressed when she described scaling walls with her device and how far she had traveled in one night.

"You have quite the steed, my lady, he rivals my own horse."

She smiled, "He was bred for speedy long distance traveling." Rachel looked over at Richard and noted that he had his head drooped forward, deep in slumber. "Oh dear... I wonder if the poor man was in that trap for longer than I thought." Keith shot the servant a concerned glance and excused himself, half-carrying the man presumably to his quarters, taking care not to jostle his wound.

When he came back, Rachel was yawning too and he offered to show her to a spare bedroom. She accepted and as soon as he had closed the door, Rachel skipped surveying the room, and dropped onto a large, soft bed, fast asleep. Keith peeked in the door briefly, and shook his head at her unladylike manner. But he thought, as he walked down a staircase to a lower floor, it suited her better.

****

The next day was not bright and promising but cold and gray, with the sky covered in clouds. Her first thought was incredulity that she had slept from midday all the way until the next morning. She then thought she heard thunder in the distance, and perhaps that was what woke her up. More likely she had been woken by the pooch nestled under her pillow shivering. It was Richard and he looked at her with those big eyes with a mix of apologetic and scared, so she welcomed him into her lap, stroking his head until he calmed down some.

He was small enough and seemed to be stable enough to fit in her arms, so she wandered out of her room in search of a place to make a fire. They wandered for a bit until Rachel understood the nudges to her arm were directions. She followed them until she reached a tall set of doors, and upon opening them found a beautiful room.

It had tall ceilings and almost every wall was covered in bookshelves; there were even ladders that could slide along the walls in front of the books so one could reach the higher shelves. On the wall where there were no shelves, a large fireplace greeted her and windows framed it at either side (the curtains were half drawn). She set Richard down on the somewhat dusty ground and he popped quickly onto two feet in order to help her build a blazing fire. She couldn't blame him for resuming a dog shape, she'd love to curl up in front of a fire on a rug (though she doubted she'd be half as cute).

She turned her gaze to the climbing and curling flames in the fireplace, getting lost in thoughts and memories of her days before she had set out. It wasn't as if she missed the snobby nature of her sisters, or the restraining dresses, or even the too-rich foods. The one thing she maybe missed was her mother, who despite not knowing one hundred percent what was best for her youngest daughter, was kind and at least listened to her. Her father had seemed almost too busy for her, but Rachel smiled sadly as a memory came up.

 _"Daddy you won't believe what I did today!" A small girl with blond hair ran up to a tall man, holding a quiver and bow in a tight grip, her face shining with excitement. She waited for him to stop pacing, bouncing on her heels._

 _The man looked down and around distractedly, then smiled, stroking her hair, "Hi sweetie.. what is it?"_

 _"I got three bull's eyes in a row! Then I got the rest of them in the orange! My teacher said I'm better than the boys who take his lessons."_

 _The man smiled absently, patting her head and hurrying into a set of doors that just opened. "That's great, Rachel.. but I need to go. My board of advisers asked for my assistance.. "_

 _The little girl watched him slip through the doors, catching glimpses of men in gilded, jeweled lapels with shiny cufflinks. She ran off after a split-second, trying to push her tears back and think about other things, like the smile on her teacher's face, or the puppy waiting for her in the gardens. The blinding sunshine as she opened the doors dried her face, and she forgot her father's blank face for the moment._

"Princess?"

Rachel jumped in her seat, and her face split into a smile from its melancholic gaze. "Hello sir Knight.. good morning."

"Well it's more afternoon now, I was wondering why you hadn't come down to breakfast.. but judging from your stomach and intestinal sounds, you're ready for lunch."

She sighed and patted her stomach, which growled pronouncedly. "Yes, I could use something." So she followed him down several flights of steps, back to the kitchens with Richard in tow, his nails making click-click sounds on the stone steps.

Without turning, Rachel noticed the change from nails to soft shoes swishing across the floor as the man set about making simple sandwiches of cold cuts and cheese. But when she took a bite, she was pleasantly surprised by the crisp, hot, and fatty taste in her mouth.

"Bacon?"

"From this morning, someone saved it I think."

She didn't need to be a witch to read the look on the knight's face as he turned away, pretending not to hear Richard's answer. It was a nice treat, so she didn't say anything. Rachel instead thought about exploring around the manor or some of the places inside if it was too cold, until the Knight cleared his throat,

"Now.. princess. I must insist you leave as soon as your horse has been packed."

Rachel blinked, "But.. " She pointed outside the kitchen window, "Sir knight, there is a thunderstorm in the distance and closing fast. If I travel today, I'll catch my death. Or my horse will."

The knight almost grimaced at the prospect which twinged something painful in her, was she so unwelcome in his home? She caught Richard biting his lip when he looked at his Master's facial expression as well, but he busied himself.

"Then I suppose you shall stay. But at the first light tomorrow you _must_ be off. I insist it most urgently."

"Alright, fine." She may have snapped it out more abrasively than she meant, and it showed in the deepening dark on the knight's face.

"I know it sounds inhospitable of me, but if you understood why.... I have my reasons."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "How dramatic." She wrapped up the rest of her sandwiches and stalked out, finding a door to the outside and seeking shelter from the first pitter patter of rain under the shelter of the trees.

Richard turned to Keith with a long sigh, "Must you do this? She's such a lovely young woman, why not give her a chance?"

"No, Richard. That's exactly why she can't stay." He gave his servant a warning look, "I mean it."

Once he was gone, Richard trotted out of the kitchen and followed the likely route of the lady, knowing the garden gazebo had probably worked its tug on her steps. He nosed some of the underbrush from his path, seeing her bent a bit and wearing a far-away look. He approached slowly, jumping on the bench and placing his paw on her thigh, then his head on her lap. Rachel looked a bit startled,

"Oh hey, Richard.. were you worried about me?" He nodded slightly, and she stroked his head reassuringly. "I just.. I'm confused as to why he's so closed off.. did something happen to make him shut himself off from people? Someone broke his trust perhaps?"

"I wish I could tell you, milady. Truly I do."

"A part of your enchantment I suppose." At his nod, Rachel sighed and was almost completely lost to thought. The rain got harder and the sky grew darker around them, and Rachel was jolted from her deep reverie when Richard gave a little whimper when a particularly large BOOM raced across the sky. She offered him pieces of ham, bacon and cheese to distract from the thunder and pounding of rain, and Richard licked her fingers gratefully.

"You're so kind, miss. I wish the Master could see it."

"I suspect if he thought the same of me as you do, then he wouldn't be who he is, and thus less interesting in his own right. Not that you're not interesting, of course. Just a different variety of the word."

Richard swiveled his head around to check all around the gazebo, and spoke in a low tone as if afraid of eavesdroppers, "I shall tell you as much as I am able about the Master, if you like. He will likely be angry if he finds out but.. I sense there are more important things to worry about at this point."

And so Richard began his recounting of the events that had led to the point where his Master had become a cursed recluse.


	2. Rachel of Maddow [prt 2]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:**|   
sleepy  
---|---  
 **Entry tags:**|   
[au](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/au), [fic](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/fic), [gen](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/gen), [keith](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/keith), [rachel](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/rachel), [rating:pg](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/rating:pg), [richard w](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/richard+w), [series:princess](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/series:princess)  
  
Rachel of Maddow [prt 2]  
 **Word Count** : 2283  
 **Rating** : PG  
 **Pairing/Characters** : Keith, Rachel, Richard Wolffe and more to come  
 **Author Notes** : needs more magicks I think. that will come later.  
 **Summary** : Rachel gets a little back story. Keith is a stubborn ass and Rachel is demanding of information.

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. 

  
He uncurled from his position, sat on his haunches, and conjured a concentrated expression. After a few seconds, a crooked spectacled human Richard was sighing, picking off the leaves that he had picked up on the walk over.

"Where do I begin.. "

"You said it yourself, at the beginning." Rachel smiled encouragingly.

"Yes well.. there are lots of beginnings." He turned to her and looked both sad and thoughtful, "My Master.. has had his people that he swore to protect turn their backs on him.. because of one man's lies.

Before this man, Sir O'Reilly, came into his life and the lives of those he served.. my Master had a good life waiting for him. He had a lovely lady as a betrothed.. a place to call home and a good King to serve when he was unable to do battle.

But.. this man was very good about finding things wrong with how a region in run and expanding them, stretching them with falsehoods and exaggerations. He even manipulated surveys and reports that were coming to the King's desk in order to make a problem look worse than it was, then pin the blame upon those who were not at fault. This deviant of a man had a way with words, using them to achieve an end.. even if it meant lying to very important people.

For example, he spread lies about my Master, saying he had ties to the kind of people who wanted a change in regime. Or that he met with radical groups who wanted to put him in power, when the truth stood that my Master was loyal to the King and had no desire to rule. While he may have had sympathies with some of these groups when they had legitimate concerns, he was sure to articulate to the King in what ways he could, ways in which the running of the region could be improved.

But.. in the end, the King grew frightened of the growing unrest among people who believed these lies. So in what he thought was best, he banished my Master to a far off land."

"That's.. awful. And they all swallowed this.. after knowing him for so many years?" She wanted to ask for details but didn't want to press what sounded like a painful issue further. Perhaps she could find out later.

"I have learned in my observations, my lady, that people will do very rash things when they are scared. Not just scared.. but deeply frightened. Even to the point at which they will push the ones they love and trust far from them."

"Were there any objections at all?"

"My Master did have some close friends and allies who voiced their objections in the court hearing, citing his ties and speaking only the truth.. but I suspect some dirty dealings were done behind closed doors in order to fix the ruling in favor of banishment."

Rachel frowned deeply, turning to watch the storm clouds roll back,

"Thank you for telling me all this, Richard. Things are much clearer now."

"You are most welcome milady."

They stayed that way for part of the afternoon, mostly silent, listening to the fairies grumble about their nests falling apart and the rest of the forest life shaking itself of the damp feeling that lingers after a storm. Rachel thought she caught glimpses of deer or something that resembled deer out of the corner of her eye, but perhaps those were just spirits playing tricks on her. At last though, Richard hopped down to the floor of the gazebo, and bounded into the foilage, tongue lolling happily at the fresh smells. She naturally followed, diving into the leaves and not caring if her breeches got dirty.

****

Another couple hours later while the sun was sinking, the two of them trudged up to the castle gates, coated in layers of sweat, dirt, twigs, and leaves, but glowing like fireflies.

The Knight arched an eyebrow at the two of them, but offered to show Rachel to the bath, asking Richard if he would draw one for her. He shook his head once they had continued their path up the steps, but he caught himself pondering how lovely the princess looked in the dimming sunlight.

Luckily the bath operated much like the ones at her home, so before Richard had returned with towels and soaps, she was able to pull the right levers and get enough hot water for a bath. The plumbing creaked and groaned as though it had not been used for awhile, but it cooperated. She soon was able to sink into warm and lightly scented water, letting out a sigh of contentment. The door to the bath also creaked and Rachel detected a slight breeze, so she knew who it was even before the click-clicking of nails on stone,

"Hi Richard."

"I p-promise I'm not looking, just brought you towels and a means of washing yourself. We have no female servants or I would ask one to assist you."

"Don't worry about it, I didn't particularly like it when someone washed and dressed me anyway." She giggled as she looked over and saw the wolf-dog had a towel covering his eyes. "Would you like to stay and keep company as I wash?"

He sputtered and Rachel swore the areas around his nose turned a shade of pink, "I mustn't milady! It wouldn't be proper.. "

"Oh hush and hand me that brush."

He did so and sighed in some relief as she kept herself turned around or covered in bubbles. It really wouldn't do if it were difficult to avert his gaze, in some ways he was a dog.

"Richard would you be able to do something because it's a duty, even if it would hurt someone else?"

"I do not know milady.. I suppose not if that person were more important to me than the duty." She sighed and Richard grew concerned, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh you know.. just the odd thoughts I get when I bathe.. "

"You're talking about your betrothal, are you not?"

"Perceptive little wanker."

Richard blushed and popped back to being a dog briefly in order to distractedly scratch his ear, "I only observe what's in front of my nose, I assure you."

She was quiet for a long time then, "I hurt a lot of people, Richard."

"They were doing much worse."

"But.. "

"Please milady, it's too often we do not think of what we want."

"Funny I've always been told otherwise."

"And yet here you are."

A pause and then she turned in the tub, "You're very wise too."

She smiled wide at him and turned around to start washing, while Richard trotted to the window, looking out to watch the weed-stricken garden blossom with lights.

It didn't take long for her to finish, and when she was, she called to Richard. He was there with a rather large towel and robe, having popped to an upright position to hold it up for her. It was good to be grime-free again, she thought, as she slipped into the robe (quite soft too, whatever the material was).

"Hm.. I'm quite famished.. " But before the servant could offer to fetch her a sandwich, she was out the bathroom door and halfway downstairs, robe flying behind her.

"Oh dear.. I hope the Master has retired.. "

******

When she reached the kitchen, Rachel looked around, not spotting the Knight at first. He was bent over a long roll of parchment and his was not the only candle in the room, so the light did little to attract her attention. This gave the Knight plenty of time to survey his visitor, and survey he did.

The candlelight did a superb job of catching the water drops that lingered from her bath, as well as highlight how her robe was beginning to slip ever so slightly from her neck and shoulders (evidently it had not been fastened tightly or something had been done to loosen the grip).

The Knight gave a barely audible gulp as the material swished around her legs and ankles, catching sun-bronzed skin and nicely toned calves. It had been far too long since his last human company it seems. He had to break his lower-than-the-belt train of thought, so the Knight cleared his throat loudly. The princess spun around looking slightly surprised, but not rabbit-scared. This for some reason pleased him.

"Good evening milady, could I help you find something- ahh perhaps not." He saw that she was holding a couple handfuls of strawberries, along with sandwich materials.

"Yes.. I found that bathing reminded me that I hadn't eaten for a couple hours.. " She stood there a bit awkwardly until Keith sighed and offered her a chair,

"Here.. its much warmer by the embers. You can stoke a fire if you'd like, as I'm plenty warm I didn't bother feeding the flame."

She did set down her food, build the fire back up (with him trying very hard not to stare at her bent rear), and then join him at the table. He watched her munch and run her fingers through her short hair (trying to dry it faster he supposed), then grew engrossed in the parchment again, until..

"What has you up so late, sir Knight?"

"Hm? Oh.. nothing.. "

"What a load of dung, otherwise you'd be in bed. Must be something important."

He grumbled softly, then pushed the paper at her, "Here, I trust you can read?"

"I can and I thoroughly enjoy doing so. Especially records, letters and history texts." Rachel bent over the paper and her eyes widened, "But I haven't read anything like this before.. "

"It's an old manuscript describing curses and spells that were used in an old war. A friend of mine sent it to me.. "

"What for? Are you a wizard as well?"

Keith shook his head, "No.. and I won't tell you the true reason I have such a script."

"Why not?"

"Because it is my business alone."

She scowled and stood up, almost slamming her palms into the table making the candles rattle a bit, "Look, I can respect a man or woman who has a good reason to keep something a secret, but I see no reason to keep absolutely everything from me."

The Knight narrowed his gaze, "Perhaps you're too used to hearing what you want and getting everything you want, _princess_."

"As a matter of fact I am not. Did you already forget what my reasons were for leaving? There is a difference between being spoiled and having choices taken from you or having an unsatisfactory life."

He bent his head down and nodded, "I did forget.. and I truly am sorry, m'lady. I have.. It's.. it is difficult to word exactly why I am like this."

She turned around, sensing a note of regret and sincerity in his tone, "Does it have to do with this manuscript?" She ventured cautiously.

Another nod and he reached for a goblet, taking a small sip. Rachel's nose perked and she could detect a fine scent of single malt whiskey. Recently brewed too.

"At least I think it does. The exact nature of my.. hm.. shall we say predicament.. "

"Wait, is it a spell in which you are forbidden to discuss it in detail?"

"Not exactly. I can discuss it, but the effects of the spell.. it would discourage my mind from wanting to. It takes a vast amount on concentration to do this much.. because there are many things going through my head attempting to persuade me to change the subject.. or banish you from my presence."

"That.. it sounds quite headache-inducing. And dreadful. How.. how can you get close to people?"

"A great deal of patience. Richard is part saint or something otherworldly to have stayed by my side for so long." He shook his head and gulped more of the drink. Rachel suspected that was part of why he was opening up to her. She had seen for herself what spirits could do to people's tongues (and she didn't mean the body possessing kind). "Do you see why I would not want you to stay though? Would you like to have your patience tried day in and day out? Do you wish to be shunned again and again?"

"But you are not doing those things constantly. You're not shoving me away now sir Knight, your ailment sounds more like a personality failing then anything."

He snorted, "You will not be the last to say that."

She smiled and reached a hand to cover his, and she thought she perceived a flinch, but his hand was still relaxed and spread. "I sense you are more than interesting enough for me to remain here, if for a short period of time, without running out of patience. Please allow me to stay awhile longer.. "

They did not know it, but Richard was listening beyond the doorway and awaiting the Knight's decision with baited breath in the shadows. And finally the Knight gave a nod and sigh,

"You may remain here indefinitely and if you do not try me too severely." He could sense her burning curiosity and it drew him in much like one of the many candles. "And I will do my best to share what information I know in regards to my ailment."

Richard sighed a tiny sigh of relief and crept back upstairs, satisfied and ready to retire for the night. Rachel however was wide awake, had completely dried from her bath and was wanting for fresh air. She stood up and pulled on the Knight's hand until he stood as well,

"Come for a night time walk with me?"


	3. Rachel of Maddow [prt 3]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:**|   
mellow  
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 **Entry tags:**|   
[au](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/au), [fic](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/fic), [keith](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/keith), [rachel](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/rachel), [rating:pg](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/rating:pg), [richard w](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/richard+w), [series:princess](http://audeamus.dreamwidth.org/tag/series:princess)  
  
Rachel of Maddow [prt 3]  
 **Word Count** : 1755  
 **Rating** : PG  
 **Pairing/Characters** : Keith, Rachel, Richard Wolffe and more to come  
 **Author Notes** : this took much longer than I thought it would.. but I still blame [](http://jesidres.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**jesidres**](http://jesidres.dreamwidth.org/) for everything in this. The ending is a sort of parody on fairy tales.  
 **Summary** : In which our heroes grow a bit closer, relax, and make at least some progress on Keith's issues

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. 

He nodded and followed her out into the gardens, down a familiar stone path and far from the walls of his home. Rachel clutched the robe close to her, but the air was only slightly chill with the night, a warm breeze ruffling the material and her hair. She looked up and caught the Knight's head also tilted up, so both were gazing at the night sky filled with both stars and drifting fairy lights.

They reached an open area of the gardens, with the bubbling of a fountain nearby and untame grass woven into unusual patterns. Some wildflowers poked from the bushes and bent with the breeze.

"You really do have some creative creatures who live around here."

"Hm?" Keith turned toward her and she pointed out the woven grasses, flower patterns, and other displays. He looked at them with interest and curiosity, as if they were a new kind of animal on their own. "I suppose its part of their silly nature or to attract attention."

Rachel nodded and plucked one of the flowers, tucking it in her pocket in a handkerchief as a keepsake. She caught up with the Knight as he had continued walking, weaving her fingers in his much like the grasses,

"I have a confession, sir Knight." When she had turned toward him and was sure of his full attention, she continued, "I am aware of some of your background. Please do not hold it against Richard. I can be quite persuasive when I wish to know something."

The Knight chuckled softly, "This is true." He seemed so humored and relaxed that he did not press further about his servant. "But I suspect he did not tell you the whole tale, or you would still be in that pavilion."

"You knew.... ?"

"It is where I go to do important thinking, so I figured...." Rachel smiled. and they walked further, in silence, until they reached a fountain made of a shiny stone, semi-reflective. The water rippled slightly with the wind and the statues were not spouting water though their mouths were open. She had to suppress a childish urge to jump in and splash around, leaning down to trail her fingers through the water instead.

"I had a fountain like this at my home... I threw coins in it to make wishes for things like a buttercream cake on my birthday." She straightened up and turned to Keith, "Did you have gardens like this when you were growing up? With fountains?"

"No. I was too busy learning sword fighting and combat."

"And yet I've heard you're a bookish man... "

"Yes well, that was something I had to persuade my tutors to teach me. How to read and comprehend, analyze and such."

Rachel smiled and flicked some water at him, "You probably had more luck than I did, princesses don't necessarily have to read Latin texts and old Gaelic poems to rule a region. But I did it anyway."

The Knight huffed and wiped his spectacles clean with his shirt, "How childish of you, demanding that of your tutors."

She rolled her eyes and said, "You just admitted to doing the same thing!" But she saw he was chuckling and knew he meant it in jest. "Well that's something we have in common. Being such insufferable brats as children.. and in your case remaining so in certain ways."

Keith laughed dryly, "I have half a mind to dunk you in that fountain for such cheek."

"You wouldn't dare.. "

"Oh wouldn't I?" His eyes had a certain glint to them that Rachel did not trust, and so found herself inching back away from his reach. Unfortunately this meant she was inching toward said fountain. The fairies bouncing around the garden giggled, starting to sing something off-tune and she supposed sort of romantic. It was mostly annoying and made her trip on the stones. "You seem be heading there on your own though."

"Such a comedian-AAAAAHHHH!"

It was either the fairies or her own doing, but Rachel found herself tumbling backwards into the fountain and had pulled the Knight with her as he went to nudge her in. After both had realized they weren't hurt (only bruised prides), Rachel blushed, and laughed with him. He stepped out of the fountain, sitting on its edge and wringing out the bottom of his shirt, and she followed suit.

"Well... it seems I have ruined this lovely robe of yours."

But Keith shook his head and shed his coat, wrapping it around her shoulders. "Richard is excellent at washing, he can get any unpleasant odors out no matter what material is soiled or dampened. Here, so you won't catch a chill."

"What are you, my nanny now?"

"Who's the jester now, hm?" The Knight quirked a thick eyebrow until it was in danger of disappearing into this hairline, smiling broadly. "But really, I'll not have a guest of mine confined to bed with a head cold or anything of the sort just from an accident."

Rachel stopped shivering and leaned back to look at the sky once more, thinking for awhile. She was confused by all the concern he was showing her, wasn't he unable to display so much of the emotion? She wanted to chalk it up to the liquor and his good humored mood, but something still wasn't right.

"How extensive is your library, sir Knight?"

He blinked either from sleep or surprise (possibly both), "I'd say.. several thousand volumes, maybe ten thousand. It's been awhile since I checked how much it's grown. May I ask why you inquire?"

"I want to understand this ailment of yours better." His face darkened and Rachel felt her stomach become heavy, then drop.

"Don't." She sputtered and asked why not. "My lady, I have been looking for a cure since you were toddling around your castle, and to little avail. What exactly makes you so sure that you will find it?"

"What makes you so certain of failure?"

But he still looked dark and like a closed door to her, some part of her losing hope. Another was only determined to get him to open again. "I'll find it as soon as you show me the end of your trail, so I know where to pick up my search."

The Knight grunted and stood up, beckoning her to follow him. She did so, and as they climbed the stairs, Rachel recognized the room as the same one Richard had shown her. The large fireplace had been swept of ashes and the floor looked as though it had been dipped in silver. She noticed the Knight walk toward the windows and he seemed to bask in the glow of the moon. When he turned, his mood looked lifted.

He pointed at a rather large desk, "You're welcome to look through the drawers, there should be one with a leather journal that you should read first. It's an account of a solider from one of the old wars, he had the same ailment as I. It should heighten your understanding."

Rachel nodded and buried herself in it, but also taking time to peruse the notes and manuscripts. The Knight, instead of waking Richard, retrieved tea and candles for her. Upon many attempts, he finally sat with her, and they gradually fell into a discussion. He seemed determined to explain of all the wise men and women, the doctors and specialists he had consulted, and how all of them would arrive at dead ends. After the sky began to take on a pre-dawn grayish blue, the Knight sighed and rubbed his eyes,

"Why does this matter so much to you, princess? For all I know, you have taken no oath that a doctor would take."

She sipped at the now cool cup of tea (her fifth that night) and thought very hard before answering, "I have several reasons. One, you strike me as a man who thrives on thoughtful conversation and something that hinders it is a something to be thrashed and conquered. Two, there should be a better reason to rebuke someone than some curse. And three, I've found that fondness of someone leads to a want to help them." When she looked up, the Knight had an odd expression, a combination of bewilderment, pleased and something soft in his smile. She ducked into her tea again, but the silence that followed wasn't an entirely unpleasant one.

The silence was broken by Richard padding in, carrying a book in what looked like a sling on his back. His eyes widened in surprise, and he flipped to two feet.

"My goodness, you two are quite the pair of night owls. Have you been there all night?"

Rachel looked at the night and he looked back, then she looked at Richard, "You could say that, yes."

  
*******

Days seemed to flash past and turn into weeks, the lazy rainy summer melted into a chill autumn. Rachel stayed buried in the library, sometimes the Knight joining her for her research, sometimes not. She was now wondering if perhaps the cure were not in the usual spell books and accounts of disease cures, but in the more arcane resources.

So she walked back and forth among the shelves until she spotted a section of particularly old volumes. It was certainly worth a shot, so she pulled down a pile, ringing for Richard to bring her a pot of tea, please. So as the leaves changed to golden yellows, oranges and reds outside the tall windows, she read over hundreds of pages, each illustration more beautiful and horrifying than the last.

One night though, around three past midnight, she found something promising. And peculiar. It described an ailment of the mind in which pain would visit the man or woman afflicted if relationships grew stronger or if mental defenses were probed. That was the Knight for certain, but it was the suggested cures that made her blush. It made her wonder if someone had merely copied the number one cure from a romance story as a joke.

*******

"Well, sir Knight, I have some good news and some very odd news."

It was over breakfast, so Keith had a mouthful of eggs and sausage when he looked to see the princess holding a paper in her hand. He swallowed and said as calmly as he could manage,

"Either one first."

"Well.. the good news is, I found a cure." His eyebrows went up in curiosity,

"And?"

"The odd news is.. we have to have sex. Multiple times. Under a harvest moon."


End file.
